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Now’s time to land lunker fish

By Ken White
4:21 p.m. CDT June 18, 2014

Bruce Cunningham of Fordland shows off the record striped bass he caught in Bull Shoals Lake. The fish weighed 60 pounds, 9 ounces and is a good example of a Missouri lunker fish.
(Photo:
Missouri Department of Conservation
)

A big fish caught or lost is the subject of many campfire conversations. It is a source for a common bond between anglers. It also supplies a lifetime memory as a pride-in-fishing accomplishment that no angler can resist.

Yet catching a trophy fish is easier than one might think.

Information to determine the best places and times to catch such a fish from Missouri waters is gathered by entries in the Missouri Master Angler program by the Missouri Department of Conservation over the past 40-plus years.

Any fish taken by hook and line caught in Missouri that meets a certain minimum weight or length is eligible. Each angler is presented a Master Angler certificate awarded by the MDC.

It’s no surprise that a large percentage of record-size catches comes from farm ponds in the state. The state record crappies, both black and white, were taken from farm ponds, as were several other species.

Many largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie have put Missouri anglers in the Master Angler program. Don’t overlook the thousands of ponds that are in every section of the state.

Several species of Missouri fish that offer lunker potential include:

• Largemouth bass: From farm ponds to the large impoundments, to strip pits, there are opportunities to hook that “hog bass.” April seems to be the best month to hook a lunker bass, but they are taken year-round in the big impoundments. The Missouri record for largemouth bass (over 13 pounds) was taken from Bull Shoals back in 1961.

• Smallmouth bass: The state record was caught in Stockton Lake in 1994. The fish weighed more than 7 pounds. Many south Missouri streams hold smallmouths that would easily make the near record book, as would several of the big impoundments, including Table Rock and Bull Shoals.

• Bluegill: It doesn’t come as a big surprise that the state record bluegill came from a farm pond. The 3-pounder was caught back in 1963. The best location in the state to catch a lunker bluegill ranges from ponds to one of the smaller lakes. Nearly every body of water in the state holds the potential to catch a lunker bluegill.

• Crappie: These popular fish are found statewide with many lunkers taken from ponds. However, that is not an endorsement to stock ponds with these fast-producing fish. The lunkers taken from ponds are the exception and not the rule.

• Muskie: Lake Pomme de Terre is called “the muskie capital of Missouri.” Other impoundments including Fellows, and the Lake of the Ozarks have these fighting fish that grow to more than 40 pounds.

• Walleye: There are many streams and big lakes in the state that hold lunker walleye. One of the most popular walleye lakes is Stockton Lake, where the fish are caught year-round. Other large impoundments that offer good fishing for big walleye include Bull Shoals, Pomme de Terre and the Lake of the Ozarks. The record walleye was taken from Bull Shoals, weighing weighed more than 20 pounds.

• Channel catfish: Trophy channel catfish are caught from many different types of water, from ponds to streams to big impoundments. The best time to catch channels has been in the summer months while fishing at night.

• Flathead catfish: The best time to catch a lunker flathead is midsummer through August.

• Striped bass: Talk about a lunker, these fish accidentally introduced into Bull Shoals Lake in 1998 are now reaching 60 pounds or more and put up a tremendous fight.

Fishing is one of the most popular recreational activities in Missouri. More than a third of the population — both young and old— fish.

Every angler would like to bring in a lunker, but just the possibility of landing an “old fighter” lurks on each fishing trip. As most anglers would agree, “There’s a lot more to fishing than just catching fish.”

To find out more information on the Missouri Master Angler program, contact your local Missouri Department of Conservation office.

Ken White writes about hunting and fishing for the News-Leader. Contact him at kdwhite@windstream.net.